Fire-escape.



No. 630,576. Patented Aug. 8, I899.

T. C. H. VANCE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed Feb. 27, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

THOMAS C. H. VANCE, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

FlRE -ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1E0. 630,576, dated August 8, 1899. Application filed February 27, 1899. Serial No. 707,011. N model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. H. VANCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville,in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the class of structure for aifording means of escape from abuilding in case of fire in which a tower containing a spiral chute is provided in proper position with relation to the building to render it accessible therefrom for es cape by sliding down the chute.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows my improvedfire-escape by a view in elevation with a portion of the tower broken away to disclose the internal construction, the fire-escape being represented in position adjacent to the outside wall of a building. Fig. 2 is a section taken .at the line 2 on Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 8, an enlarged broken plan section of the fire-escape, showing details of con-' struction; and Fig. 4, a section taken at the line 4 on Fig. 3, viewed in the direction of the arrow and showing the riveted lapping edges of two adjacent sections of the spiral chute.

A is the tower, shown as a hollow cylinder, which may be formed of sheet metal or of any other suitable material, and it is represented as supported in vertical position adjacent to a building B, from each story of which the interior of the tower is rendered accessible by means hereinafter described. In the center of the tower is supported to extend as far upward therein as may be required a standard O, which I form of adequately strong sheet metal bent lengthwise upon itself to present a pair of jaws a along one edge and bent into spiral form to present to the chute O the inclinations of the sections 1), out of which it is formed. Each of these sections, which are preferably formed of sheet metal, widens from its inner toward its outer end, where it is flanged, asshown at 12. At their narrower-ends the'sectious are confined between the jaws a, in which they are fastened, as by riveting, and each section laps that next to it along their adjacent edges,

where they are fastened together, and the flange v at the flaring end of each section abuts against the inner wall of the tower to which it is fastened, as by riveting. The sections are arranged spirally around the standard O to form the chute O.

Extending about the tower A, but by preference only half-way around itto cover the surface thereof nearest the building, is a jacket D, forming a dead-air space D to insulate the tower against heat from the building when burning, and thus prevent the tower from being overheated and thus rendered useless in case of fire.

At each story or landing desired in the building B an egress-opening c is provided in the wall adjacent to the tower, and in these openings may be provided doors d, as indicated. Coincident with each opening 0 in the wall an ingress-opening cis provided in the tower A, and these openings are connected by a passage-way E, which may be inclosed, as represented, and contain doors (1', adapted to open outwardly, as indicatedin Fig. 2, and which should be spring folding doors to close automatically. The floor or base e of the passage-way E inclines, as shown at e in Fig. 1, from about midway of its length, more or less, into the tower-opening c to conform to the spiralinclination of and meet the edge there presented of the spiral chute 0. Thus access from a passage-w'ayE to the chute is rendered more gradual and less alarming than it would be if the step-off from the floor 6 were abrupt.

In case of fire in a building equipped with my improvement the occupants on each floor may quickly pass through the respective passage-way E and gain the chute O in the tower, down which they will slide without undue speed and emerge at the opening in the base .ofthe t-ower, (indicated atfin Fig. 1.)

While I have shown my improved fire-escape as applied externally of the building, it

is within my invention to provide it inside,

and the architecture may be planned accordingly to provide the fire-escape within the walls of the building in its erection.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a fire-escape, the combination of a tower and a spiral chute C therein comprising a cen tened between said jaws and their outer ends tral standard 0 composed of sheet metal bent fastened to the tower-wall, substantially as upon itself to bring the opposingsurfaees t0- described.

gether with the edges apart to afford jaws a, THOMAS C. II. VANCE. and formed into a spiral, and outwardly-flar- In presence of ing sections 1) spirally disposed about said M. J. FROST,

standard and having their inner ends fa-s- R. '1. SPENCER. 

